One Word
by the silver hare
Summary: James tries to impress Lily with a different Head's meeting while Lily comes to accept her feelings for James. One-shot.


James led Lily down the stairs and into the Entrance Hall. When they reached the bottom, James stopped Lily. She looked at him, confused.

"What are you doing? I thought we were having a Heads' meeting?" she asked him.

"We are," he said simply, turning her around.

"Then what-"

"Just be quiet, okay?" James conjured a handkerchief and covered her eyes with it. He took her hand and put his arm around her waist as he led her outside. They walked down the hill to the bank of the lake where James had set up a picnic. He took the handkerchief off gently and Lily's eyes lit with happiness. She looked at him with a large smile on her face.

"Do you like it?" he asked nervously. He had tried so hard to impress her with fun Head meetings. He could feel that this was the year Lily Evans would finally say yes to him.

"Yes! I love picnics; how did you know?" She sat down and smoothed out the blanket around her. James sat down as well.

"Well, really, who doesn't love picnics? And I know that Head stuff stresses you out, and water soothes you, so what better thing to do than a picnic by the lake?"

Lily laughed. "Nice. Well, I can only hope that this meeting comes with food?"

"Of course! What kind of Heads' meeting would it be without it?" James took the lid off the picnic basket and peered inside. "Violet packed us some stuff, but I don't know what. Yum, Paddington hamburgers."

Lily smiled and took and sandwich from him. "Good picnic food. Any dessert?"

James reached inside and pulled out treacle fudge and sized it up. "Looks better than Hagrid's," he finally said.

"What?" Lily asked, bemused.

"You've never had some of Hagrid's treacle fudge? Ack. Let's just say the only way it's useful is when you need to glue something together. Luckily, Violet makes it perfect," He started to eat it until Lily slapped his hand away. He looked at her with innocent eyes.

"No dessert until after we finish at least half of this work," she said sternly.

"But Lily, life's short. What if we started on the work and the squid came out of the water and pulled us in? We had the opportunity to eat our last dessert, but you wouldn't let me. Now, wouldn't that make you feel terrible?" James looked at her convincingly and grabbed a piece of treacle fudge.

Lily rolled her eyes and grabbed a hamburger. "So when do you think the first Hogsmeade weekend should be?"

"Hmm. Well, the first Quidditch match is next week, so how about the week after that so everybody can celebrate?"

"Yeah, that's good. So, October 20th?" Lily pulled her clipboard towards her and wrote down the date on the line.

"Alright, next. Something needs to be done about the prefect patrols. Crannell and Miller have been at each other's throats lately, and can barely be in the same room together. And Diggory and Abbot just had a terrible break up, so that would just be mean to put them together. Plus, Mulciber has been completely neglecting his duties, so someone's going to have to go with him to keep him in line. Looks like we're going to have to split up. I don't think anyone else could get him to do something," Lily looked at him with a regretful look in her eye.

James frowned. "Why don't we just put Crannell and Diggory together and Miller and Mulciber? There's no way Miller would let Mulciber get away with anything."

"That's good, except Crannell is the biggest flirt in the world and that would probably set Abbot off. Why don't we do Abbot and Crannell?" Lily suggested.

"They'd be good together. And Diggory can go with Joy, Mulciber's old partner. That means you and I can stay together," James grinned and poured her some butterbeer. Lily was happy with this. Over the past few months, Lily had begun to enjoy James' company. She had even admitted to herself that she fancied him a bit.

"Sounds perfect," Lily stretched over the blanket on her stomach and scanned her clipboard. "Alright, we should get the final details of the Halloween ball down. We already booked the Flying Hippogriffs and Dumbledore okayed the bats. Now all we really need to do is decide on the setup of the Great Hall. What do you think?"

James rolled onto his back and rubbed his stomach as he mused this. His shirt raised up past his belly button to reveal part of his abs. Lily blushed and looked out over the lake, watching the moonlight dance off the water.

"Hum… Why don't we have two of the House tables on each side of the Hall, with the dance floor in the middle? We could really define the dance floor and have these lights just pulsating through the floor. And the Flying Hippogriffs could set up where the staff sits normally," James followed Lily's gaze as he realized she wasn't really paying attention.

"You know, Xeno Lovegood told me once that nargles liked to sleep in those glitter paths. I could've swore I saw him running through the lake once, trying to catch them," James said, trying to break Lily's trance.

It worked. Laughing, Lily said, "Really? Oh, the kids he'll have," She sighed. "What were we talking about?"

"Just plans for the dance. Don't worry, I wrote them down for you. Do you want to take a break?" James asked, studying her.

"Yeah, that'd be nice," She rolled over to her back and closed her eyes. The water lapped up and touched the tips of her hair. James flipped onto his stomach and put his head next to hers.

"You know, the water's getting your hair wet," he said in her ear.

"Well, that _is_ what water usually does," she said sarcastically, opening her eyes.

"Don't you want your hair dry?" James asked.

"Eh. Not really. It's soothing to have the water come over my hair and tickle my neck. I love it," Lily closed her eyes again and moved so the water could do just that. James watched her gentle breathing and wondered if she fell asleep. He grabbed her clipboard and started to write down his ideas for the Halloween ball. When he finished, he grabbed a piece of treacle fudge and placed it on Lily's nose very carefully, leaning in very close to her face. She jerked awake and James slipped and fell on top of her, while he tried to keep all of his weight off of her.

"James… what are you doing?" Lily asked curiously with just a twinge of annoyance.

"Um… I was trying to put a piece of treacle tart on your nose, but you woke up and I slipped," James explained meekly.

"Oh. Why were you putting it on my nose?"

"Well, where else could I put it that would wake you up without getting you mad?"

"Okay. So why are you still on top of me? I'm sure someone is watching us right now."

"Hmm. We could always give them a show," James said huskily, his eyes entrancing her into him. He started to lean in when a large wave splashed over them. James rolled off of her as she spluttered and sat up.

"You okay?" he asked, coughing a bit.

"Uhm, yeah… We should probably get back to work, though. So, um… could you and Sirius handle the Transfiguration of the dance floor?" Lily asked distractedly, picking up her clipboard.

"Yeah, we'll be able to," James whispered.

"Okay. And then at midnight, the floating pumpkins will burst and bats will come flying out of them and through the crowd. Please don't charm them to attack the Slytherins, okay?" Lily pleaded half heartedly.

"_I_ won't, but I can't promise for Sirius. Anything else?" James said indifferently.

"James? Can you show just a tiny bit of enthusiasm?" Lily looked at him, eyebrows raised.

"I suppose so. So, decorations. We should have fireworks going all night."

Lily nodded. "That's fun. And of course, the floating pumpkins. Maybe we could have black and orange glitter falling from above or something; that sound good?"

"Uh, yeah. That all sounds good. So are we done?" James sprawled out on the blanket.

"I think so. Let me just write all of it down and we can give it to Dumbledore to be approved," Lily looked up at the sun. "Oh, the sun's setting," she said softly. "This is my favorite time of day."

She lied back next to James and watched the sun disappear.

"It is beautiful," James murmured.

"Yeah. What's your favorite time of day?" she asked, turning on her side to face him. He did the same.

"Well, I love this time, but my favorite's probably midnight. I love how it's so dark and the sky is so clear. The stars are just so amazing," said James.

Lily stared at him in wonder. "I didn't know you liked the stars," she whispered.

James nodded. "Oh, yeah. They're just… I can't explain it. They're like a different magic, other than ours. They just fascinate me."

"I know exactly what you mean. One of my favorite things to do is sit out and watch the stars," Lily smiled and looked up to where stars were already starting to twinkle. Her eyes drifted back down and over to the picnic basket. She sat up and looked inside.

"Did you eat all the treacle fudge?" she asked James.

"No, I think there are a few pieces left. Are they not in there?" James crawled over to the basket himself. They looked inside and saw nothing. James looked at her guiltily.

"Oops."

Lily laughed and fell back. "Oh, it doesn't really matter. All of the fudge will end up killing me anyway," she looked pointedly at James who stuck his tongue out and lied next to her.

"Oh, it won't kill us. Voldemort himself would have to kill us before we fall," he said confidently.

"Yeah, that does seem like the way you'd go out. How did we even get on this subject? It's so morbid," She shuddered and shook her head.

"I don't know. I propose we change the subject to popcorn. What's your favorite kind?" James asked.

"Ooh, movie butter popcorn. It's so good," Lily said, her thoughts wandering to the goodness she hadn't had in so long.

"What's a movie?" asked a confused James.

Lily realized who she was talking to. "Well, it's kind of like a play, on a screen. They record people acting it out, and then they send the film out so people can watch it over and over. It's like a play that the actors only have to do once. Get it?"

James stared at her as if she'd grown a second head. "No," he finally said.

She sighed. "Well, movie butter just means it's really buttery."

"Oh," James said, all confusion gone. "Why didn't you just say that?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Why don't you just take Muggle Studies?" she shot back.

"Because I have you to help me!" he exclaimed with glee. She laughed.

"As long as you don't take me for granted," she teased.

"How could anyone ever take you for granted? You're one of a kind," He smiled at her.

She smiled back. "As are you. I don't think the world could take two of you anyway. We can barely get a hold on you and Sirius."

He gasped in mock horror. "Hey now! Just imagine what the world would be like with two Sirius'. Don't two me's seem dull by comparison now?"

Lily shuddered. "Oh, Merlin, you're right. I am truly sorry I ever underestimated Sirius' abilities,"

"Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine. We just won't tell him or he might do something terrible to you," James chuckled.

Lily laughed and looked up at the stars. "Look, you can see the three sisters in Orion's belt."

"I've always liked the whole constellation of Orion, not just his belt," James said.

She smiled. "When I was little, Petunia and I would lay out in the backyard and pretend we were the sisters in Orion's belt, just waiting for the third one to come along."

James looked at her. "You guys were really close, huh?"

"Yeah, we were. Then I got my letter, and… she thought I was some freak," she shook her head to clear the thoughts and memories clouding her mind. "But I don't really care now. I've got new sisters, and even a few brothers here. This family is much better than my old one."

James stared at her admirably. She looked back at him.

"What?" she asked, smiling. James shook his head.

"Nothing," he said, looking back up at the sky.

"No, what is it?" Lily persisted.

He turned his head towards her. "I just love how you're so optimistic. It amazes me how you can take something that most people would be hurt by and make it into a good situation."

Lily blushed and looked towards the sky. James looked up as well.

"Hey, there's the Big Dipper," he pointed.

"Oh and there's the Little Dipper," she said.

James chuckled. "I remember once I was trying to teach Sirius and Peter all the constellations and they kept asking where the mashed potatoes were for the Dippers. Thank Merlin Remus came in when he did, or I would've had two bodies to hide."

Lily laughed. "Well, I admire your courage to attempt to teach them something," She shivered.

"Are you cold?" James asked, looking at her concernedly.

"Yeah, a little bit. But I don't want to go back in the castle, though."

"Well, come here," James moved closer to Lily and put his arm around her. She snuggled closer to him and relaxed.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yeah, much better," she answered, smiling like an idiot.

"So what's your favorite star?" James asked.

She giggled. "My favorite star? I don't really have one. I guess we owe the Sun something, seeing as it keeps us alive."

"I've always liked Draco. Did you know it means dragon?"

"No, I didn't. I knew that it was in the school motto, and what the motto meant, but I never really made the connection. Huh," Lily hit herself inwardly for being so dense.

"I didn't know we had a school motto. What is it?"

"Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus. It means 'Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon.'" Lily laughed lightly and James chuckled. "I always wondered where it came from."

"Well, from what it sounds like," James started, "Godric Gryffindor went on a quest to retrieve the fair redheaded maiden from the dragon's clutches and when he got to the dragon, it was asleep. When he tickled it, the sky went blood red and volcanoes sprouted up all over the land. The dragon woke up and tried to eat Godric, but he managed to evade him and rescue the stunning maiden with the long flowing ginger hair."

"Oh really?" Lily asked. "And what happens after that?"

"They run away together and live happily ever after, of course!" James finished with a great bravado.

Lily laughed and pressed her face into James' shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and they lay there in silence. Lily looked around and noticed how dark it was.

"How long have we been out here?" she whispered.

"Oh, I don't know. A few hours, maybe," he murmured in her ear.

Lily looked at her watch. It was almost midnight and curfew was at nine.

"Oh, my gosh, James! It's a three hours past curfew!" She sat up and began to put things back in the picnic basket. James stood up and pulled the Invisibility Cloak from his pocket. Lily stuffed the blanket in the basket last and got up to face James.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Yeah, come on," he draped the Cloak over his arm and took her hand. They walked up to the castle quietly; worried that someone would find them. When they reached the front doors, they were mercifully unlocked and James draped the Cloak over them, pulling Lily close.

"So when are we going to give Dumbledore the list for the ball?" James whispered. "We can't very well give it to him now."

Even months after seeing this change in James, Lily was still amazed how responsible he was at times. She had even caught him trying to talk Sirius out of a prank once, though he had sworn her to secrecy.

"I can just take it to him in the morning before classes," Lily whispered back. They finally reached the portrait of the Fat Lady and took off the Cloak.

"Jelly-ton pus," James said and the portrait swung forward to reveal the empty common room. He walked to the girls' staircase with Lily and she paused before going up the stairs.

"Well, goodnight James," Lily said a bit breathlessly. "I had a really fun time tonight."

"Yeah… I did too," said James awkwardly.

Lily sighed and gave him a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow, James," And she turned to climb up the stairs, but James grabbed her wrist.

"Wait."

She turned towards him expectantly.

"Will you go to Hogsmeade with me?"

"Sure," she said, smiling. Lily stepped down the stairs in between them and pecked his cheek before running up to her dormitory.

James closed his eyes and sighed happily, leaning up against the wall. After six years of chasing, it had all come down to that one word.


End file.
